Match Report

Leverstock Green made it three wins within the space of a week as they travelled to fourth-placed Biggleswade United and came back with three points that saw them leapfrog their opponents into fourth place. Fergus Moore was lacking several players due to injury, but it gave a chance to Joe Sadler, and the 16-year-old marked his first senior start with a spectacular goal.

The pitch at Second Meadow showed liitle sign of the amount of rain that had fallen over the past few days, and the early exchanges saw little in the way of chances. A corner from Dan Pett in the 11th minute found Ryan Carruthers with a free header, but it went just over the bar. Josh Bowler’s first serious action came in the 27th minute, tipping away a long-range cross from Gareth Hunt that seemed to miss everybody in the box.

In the 33rd minute Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica beat two Biggleswade defenders on a mazy run into the box before setting up Pett, but his shot was blocked as Hunt got back well. In first half stoppage time a pass from Nat Connolly put Jayden Newman through on goal, but home keeper Tom Wyant did well, coming off his line to save Newman’s shot.

The game was goalless at the break, but Leverstock made a strong start to the second half. They could have taken the lead in the 49th minute when Stefanoaica got away down the right and sent over a cross which Newman got on the end of, but didn’t make enough contact with his header to divert it on target.

However, Leverstock’s play got them a deserved goal in the 53rd minute. Rio Beach did very well down the left and delivered a superb cross, and on the end of it to head home from close range was Callum Neal to score his second goal in two games.

Neal’s contribution didn’t stop there. Three minutes later Bowler couldn’t hold onto a cross from Jaiden Irish, but Neal put in a great block to keep out Sam Moore’s effort from the loose ball. Two minutes later the home side were threatening again as Jake Stronge got clear and had a shooting chance, but was denied by a great block from Danny May.

A second goal was needed, and it arrived in the 64th minute. Newman was trying to get the ball under control on the edge of the box, but it dropped for Sadler, who instantly hit a fantastic strike with the outside of his boot that curled over Wyant and into the bottom corner of the net for a 2-0 Leverstock lead.

There should have been a third goal in the 74th minute. Pett played a great ball out of defence to put Newman away down the left, and his low cross looked perfect for Stefanoaica to slide in at the far post, but Wyant just managed to get in his way and the ball went wide. Instead Biggleswade pulled a goal back in the 79th minute. A pass from Mehki Angol put Dave Parkinson through on goal, and he slotted past Bowler to set up yet another tense finish for the Leverstock side.

Biggleswade threw everything forward over the closing minutes, which included a full six minutes of stoppage time, but the Leverstock side held firm and were able to keep the ball upfield to run some valuable time off the clock as they collected another crucial three points.

Biggleswade United (0) 1 (Parkinson 79)
1. Tom Wyant, 2. Anthony Leslie (16. Aaron Dada 71 mins), 3. Joe Babbage, 4. Sam Moore (14. Tom Roberts 64 mins), 5. Ethan Flanagan, 19. Gareth Hunt, 7. Lewis Markey (15. Jack Sherwood 71 mins), 8. Jaiden Irish, 9. Coree Wilson, 10. Mekhi Angol, 11. Jake Stronge (12. Dave Parkinson 66 mins). Sub not used: 17. Jordan Jarrold.
Leverstock Green (0) 2 (Neal 53, Sadler 64)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 18. Ryan Carruthers, 6. Danny May, 7. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Jayden Newman (15. Mikey Havill-Tierney 82 mins), 10. Nat Connolly, 11. Joe Sadler (12. Ademide Baruwa 71 mins). Subs not used: 14. Luke Beckwith, 16. Lewis Collins, 17. Rawn Seale.